2015 Day Thirty - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 7" x 11", 'Five O'clock Shadows'

My painting is the illuminated vibrant skyscape off the Snake River just at dusk. The huge sheets of thick ice from today's melt off patterned the water with gorgeous blue shades giving way to the reflective light. Breath taking beauty! 

2015 Day Twenty nine - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 5" x 7", 'Tucson Shine'

Ahhh... sun seekers haunt! Arizona is the place to hang out this time of year. My painting is from the Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona. The habitat is radiant with an amazing population of an estimated 5,000 saguaro plants. If you love sunshine and rugged beauty, you will find it here! 

2015 Day Twenty eight - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 14" x 11", 'Kilpatrick Pond'

Everyone has heard of Ernest Hemingway, right? But did you know he loved a place called Silver Creek?  Because of Hemingway and his family this area has been protected and is one of the most successful private stream conservation projects ever undertaken.

Silver Creek Preserve in Central Idaho, SE of Ketchum, is renowned throughout the world as a fly-fishing paradise. It includes 883 acres and 3 miles of streams which are home to one of the largest populations of brown and rainbow trout of any wild trout stream in the country.

My painting is on the Kilpatrick Pond area of the Silver Creek Preserve. The Hemingway memorial is located along the edge of the pond. The memorial is designed to be a quiet place of reflection, with a stone seating area overlooking the preserve.

2015 Day Twenty seven - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 11" x 14", 'Cannon Bridge View'

The Greater Blackfoot Area Greenbelt is a loop of approximately 10 miles that connects the city of Blackfoot, Idaho with Rose Pond. My painting is a splendid winter view from the Cannon Bridge on the Greenbelt. The Cannon Bridge was dedicated in 2005 and was made from the following reclaimed materials: 

1) Steel beams were salvaged from the Snake River near Firth. 

2) Wood decking and handrails are from the Lucin Cutoff Trestle that crossed the Great Salt Lake. 

3) Wood arches are from the Ogden, Utah defense depot.  

2015 Day Twenty six - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 11" x 14", 'Lifting Fog'

My painting is from last week's unusual weather by the Snake River in Idaho. When the eerie stratus clouds finally lifted from the country side, warm cobalt blue skies appeared with abundant sun rays melting the frost covered foliage. It was a glorious spectacle!

2015 Day Twenty five - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 4" x 6", 'Cliff Hanger'

On a crisp September early morning in Escalante, Utah, I viewed these spectacular coral cliffs lit up by the rising sun and surrounded by the verdant foliage.

2015 Day Twenty four - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

 

studio, oil, 8" x 10", 'Escalante Purples'

2015 Day Twenty three - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 6" x 8", 'Big Wood River'

The Big Wood River is a 137 mile long river in central Idaho. It is a tributary of the Malad River, which in turn is a tributary to the Snake River and Columbia River. It's source is the Sawtooth Range near Galena Summit in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. I can't restrain myself from gazing at this fantastic vista whenever I pass through the Wood River Valley. This simple oil sketch is in prep for a larger panorama I will be doing in the near future.  

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2015 Day Twenty two - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 11" x 14", 'River Bottom Glow' 

I wandered aimlessly through the densely covered edge of the Big Wood River in scenic Idaho and discovered this unique grouping of tangled aspens with the copper sun glowing in the distance. Wow! The river bottom is gorgeous in the autumn.

2015 Day Twenty one - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 8" x 10", 'Expedited Change'

I saw this wonderful vintage barn and farm collectibles on a road trip through Idaho. I loved how the sunlight hit the west facing sides of the buildings with the brewing storm system rolling across the distant mountains.

2015 Day Twenty - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 8" x 10", 'Silver Creek'

Today's painting, fresh off the easel, is from Silver Creek Preserve by Picabo, Idaho. 

All I can say is FANTASTIC scenery! 

2015 Day Nineteen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

 studio, oil, 8"x 10", 'Bear River Massacre'

My painting is from a very sacred spot to the Shoshone Indians located near Preston, Idaho. I have traveled through this beautiful area many times and I have always felt a certain reverence and awe. I didn't understand or realize it's significance until I finally stopped, snapped a few pictures and read the monument and historical marker.

It was here on January 29, 1863 where over 490+ Shoshone were massacred in deep snow and bitter cold at a winter camp near the confluence of the Bear River and Beaver Creek by Colonel Patrick E. Connor and the militia of the U.S. Army's Third California force. The Bear River Massacre is the largest single-incident massacre of Indians in the American West, larger than Wounded Knee, South Dakota and Sand Creek, Colorado. It is often overlooked in history books because it occurred during the civil war.

2015 Day Eighteen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 9" x 12", 'It's Okay to Gawk!'

This painting is from a view from my west porch in Sanpete, Utah. We can usually count on a gorgeous sunrise and sunset each day. I love to watch the changing colors. When I get to heaven I want to be part of the sunset committee!

2015 Day Seventeen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 6" x 6", 'Crater's of the Moon, Idaho'

Did you know? "Devil's vomit" is how one Oregon-bound pioneer in the 1800's described his encounter with Craters of the Moon. I have often wondered how these rugged men and women negotiated through the harsh environment of the lava fields on Goodale's Cutoff to Oregon in the mid 1800's.

2015 Day Sixteen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 7" x 9", 'Goodale's Cutoff'

Goodale's Cutoff is a spur of the Oregon Trail beginning in Idaho. The cutoff left the Oregon Trail near Fort Hall, crossed the Snake River Plain to the Lost River, and then turned west to the area of Boise, crossing Camas Prarie.

My painting is from an area by Craters of the Moon National Monument. Deep wagon wheel ruts are still visible today from hundreds of pioneers who traveled through the area on the Goodale's Cutoff in the 1850's and 1860's.

2015 Day Fifteen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

 studio sketch, oil, 9" x 11", 'A Moose is on the Loose'

I was so ecstatic when I glanced at scenic Silver Creek this past fall and spotted a huge moose at the water's edge. I quickly turned my truck around and headed back. This is what I saw but with no moose in sight!

2015 Day Fourteen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 6" x 6", 'Old Mercantile'

This is another treasure along Highway 20 near Sun Valley, Idaho. As I drove passed this dilapidated old mercantile building, the red tones against the golden fall foliage caught my eye. I knew I wanted to make a painting!

2015 Day Thirteen - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 8" x 10", 'Treasures Unlimited'

Along Highway 20 near Sun Valley, Idaho are some gorgeous scenic vistas. This is a quick sketch of a large hay field as the sun was setting on the distant bluff colored mountain range on a road trip I was on this fall.

2015 Day Twelve - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 7" x 9", 'Stock Water'

Stock water is vital in wintry weather when sheets of ice cover the ditch keeping cattle and horses thirsty. Often, my husband would take our reluctant boys out into sub zero temperatures to chop thick chunks of ice to make an opening large enough for the animals to take a drink before the icy water would freeze up again. 

This painting is the stock water ditch where it is divided between several different farms in our area. It flows along the lane heading west towards our barn.  

2015 Day Eleven - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, "6 x 6", 'January Sunset'

2015 Day Ten - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 6" x 6", 'Razzleberries'

2015 Day Nine - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 11" x 14", 'South of Sun Valley'

2015 Day Eight - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 5" x 7", 'Snake River Blues'

This sketch was completed yesterday after my walk along the Snake River in Eastern Idaho. Because of our unusual warm weather, the melting ice created beautiful patterns of blues against the setting sun. Below is a photo of the Snake River near Groveland.

2015 Day Seven - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 7" x 9", 'South of Sun Valley'

2015 Day Six - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 7" x 11", 'Winter Warm Up'

2015 Day Five - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio sketch, oil, 5" x 7", '2nd North'

2015 Day Four - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, "16" x 20", 'At the Foot of Kolob'

My painting 'At the Foot of Kolob' was created by a photo of Nagunt Mesa 7,785 ft and Paria Point 7,817 ft. It was taken on a road trip in August of 2013. The Kolob Canyon section of Zion National Park is conveniently located just off I 15, south of Cedar City, Utah. Kolob finger canyons are spectacular with soaring cliffs of red Navajo sandstone and deep pocket canyons but is a little known portion of Zion National Park. The word Kolob is from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint scripture meaning, "residence closest to heaven." Visit Kolob Canyons in Utah and see for yourself!

Kolob Canyon

2015 Day Three - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

plein air, oil, 5" x 7", 'Cold!'

2015 Day Two - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

studio, oil, 7" x 5", 'Which Way to the Gym?'

2015 Day One - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

plein air, oil, 9" x 12", 'January Glow'